


Day Thirteen || Another Day

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [13]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 00:43:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17415716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: What Sasuke hopes to be 'just another day' turns out to be anything but. The struggles his family and the remnants of his clan face continue to escalate...and they may be on the trail of the culprits.





	Day Thirteen || Another Day

It’s just another day. Just gotta get through one more day.

So has been the approach of Uchiha Sasuke regarding his life after the war. And it’s not been easy. At first, he found himself completely stripped of his purpose. Losing to Naruto - or rather, conceding to Naruto - had signaled an end to a phase of the avenger’s life. One that - though changing - had remained a constant for a decade. Have a goal. One goal. Stick to it until reaching the end. Adjust as need be.

First had been vengeance against Itachi. Then justice in his brother’s name against the village that had used him. After their meeting in the war, and the discussion the the Hokage, he’d had one last iteration: bring the battle to an end...and then use the circumstances to wipe clean the slate of shinobi. Remove the Kage. Ensnare the beasts. Use his newfound power to bring peace absolute, even if it meant resigning himself to the shadows.

He’d accepted that role. Made peace with it.

But, as usual...Naruto got in his way.

It was for the better, he supposes...even if some aspects, to him, remain necessary. Mostly regarding the shape and path forward of the shinobi world. Once he’d been healed and made whole (physically, at least), he’d left Konoha behind with a pilgrimage in mind. With plans to see the world and its new beginnings in every land, every village.

But then he’d gotten a bit...sidetracked.

And now, here he is, with not only a brother returned to him, but a cousin as well. And a police force under his command, in joint effort with the Hyūga. Which had led (at least in part) to his meeting the woman he wakes up to on this fine day.

Hinata’s still asleep, lying on her back as to best compensate for her rather voluminous stomach. Within grows their future firstborn, who’s finally letting her sleep in for once.

Managing to spare a few minutes to watch her, Sasuke eventually has to concede to a need to rise. Even if his wife is on maternity leave, he still has a job to do...bright and early, as he does nearly every day.

His morning routine is quick and basic, up and out the door in less than half an hour. As she always does, Hinata’s left him a breakfast to eat on the road to the station. He finishes just as he reaches the front door.

“Uchiha-sama!” A young Hyūga recruit snaps to attention. “The captain of the ANBU was here earlier, sir! He requested an immediate audience.”

...shit. That’s not good. Suddenly far more awake, Sasuke presses for details. “Where?”

“I...I think he’s just been waiting in your office, sir.”

A nod. “Thanks.”

He wastes no time in striding down the hall, entering the proper room and locking it behind himself. Itachi leans in a corner, dressed in ANBU gear, minus the mask. “Itachi? What -?”

“I need your assistance on a case.”

“...me as an officer, or me as an Uchiha?”

“The latter.”

Sasuke’s visible eye narrows. “...it happened again?”

“...it did. Worse this time.”

“Where?”

“My front door.”

“What?!” 

A hand raises against his loud tone. “Thankfully that means it’s really only visible to us, tucked away in the compound. I’d like to keep word of it that way, as well.”

Sasuke pauses, trying to think. “...what did it say?”

“The usual. Threats, a list of our  _ crimes _ ...but no one claiming it. Whoever it was, must have been skilled. Someone would have noticed them otherwise. This wasn’t some run-of-the-mill dissenter against the Uchiha. This was someone serious.”

“I take it you moved your family?”

“I did. I’d have done the same for you, but the words were rather specific in targeting  _ me _ this time. If you’d like, I can still have Hinata fetched. Shisui took the rest to the Hokage tower this morning.”

Sasuke runs an irritated hand back through his hair. “So much for having this be just another day…” Pause. “...I think that’s best. Until we can go over the scene and find out more. I don’t want to run in the face of a threat, but…”

“I know. I feel the same. We have people we can’t dare to risk.” With that, Itachi replaces his weasel facade. “I’ll dispatch a few of my officers. If things get bad enough, the missus suggested taking herself, the kids, and Hinata to her home in the mountains.”

“With the pair of them pregnant?”

“She’s capable, and you forget her teacher lives there as well. They’d be safe, and far from harm’s way...not to mention under rather strict defense.”

Sasuke can’t help a scowl. “...I don’t want our clan driven out of Konoha again.”

“Neither do I. But their safety is priority.”

“...I know.”

With that, the pair abandon the station and return to the Uchiha compound, the only three structures standing out rather obviously in the otherwise-empty district. Giving his home a glance, Sasuke instead follows Itachi to the main manor. 

And then balks.

Carved into the front door is a vulgar message, within which is contained a number of threats, and foreboding warnings against Itachi’s “betrayals”.

“...she didn’t see it, did she?”

“No. I was up far earlier, and ordered her and the twins out the back with Shisui. They didn’t need to see that. He took them to the Hokage tower for now, to keep an eye on them while on shift with Kakashi. Hinata should be there by now as well.” Itachi’s face declines slightly. “...I should not be surprised, and yet…”

“It’s nauseating,” Sasuke agrees before his brother has to speak. “...and pisses me off. What do they mean, betrayal? You were working on behalf of the village! Everyone knows that now!”

Rereading the message, Itachi slowly shakes his head. “...I’m not sure. It could be that I betrayed the Uchiha...but who beyond us would be left to feel anger in that regard?”

“I dunno…”

“...there was Akatsuki, I suppose...and…” He fades out to silence.

“...what?”

“You remember what was reported about Root? There was no actual list of active members. And it was suspected some refused to report back to Konoha to be reassigned and reintegrated after Danzō’s death, and the faction’s dissolution.”

“...yeah…”

“This is only a theory, but...perhaps those remnants of Root are those who have been targeting us. Think about it: it makes sense. It could be said that I ‘betrayed’ Danzō. You and Shisui as well. Shisui’s eye was stolen, but he escaped, and has been revealed to have been living in secret despite Danzō’s order for his death. You fought him and drove him to suicide in an attempt to stop you and Obito. And I...I brought the truth of his actions to light with my return and pardon. All of his work has been revealed. His role in the massacre. Danzō’s life, reputation, and wishes have all been made moot by the three of us.”

Sasuke can’t help a humorless huff of breath. “...so you’re telling me we have an unknown number of ANBU-level nutcases still loyal to a dead asshole looking to get revenge on us?”

“As I said, it is only a theory. But it would explain why we can’t seem to catch them. It could be just one person. It could be a hundred. We have no records of Roots numbers, let alone how many turned their backs after Danzō’s death. They were brainwashed to be loyal to him. A few managed to resist, but…” Itachi gestures almost apathetically. “That may be the  _ root _ of our problem.”

“...I’d expect wordplay like that from Shisui, not you.”

“He’s not here. Someone had to do it.”

Sasuke drags a hand down his face, sighing and staring at the splintered door. “...if that’s the case...we need to be damn careful. Hinata’s a jōnin, but also pregnant. Your wife’s a non-combat  _ medic _ in the same boat with two kids. How the hell do we protect them without quitting our jobs to guard them day and night, and fortifying the houses?”

“...I don’t know. I will speak to Kakashi on the matter, as I’m sure Shisui has already begun. He may have more insight, and have help to offer. But I cannot assume what resources he would be willing - or able - to spare.”

The pair lapse back into silence, each lost in their thoughts. Anger slowly begins to boil in Sasuke’s blood. How dare they... _ how dare they _ come after his family...after all they’ve already been through? When will it end?!

“...for now, we’d best reconvene in the Hokage’s office. One of my squads will gather evidence in the meantime. And we’d best put the compound on lockdown. No one in or out.”

“Hn…”

There’s sympathy in Itachi’s gaze through his mask. “...we’ll get through this. As always...we live to fight another day.”

_...but how many more will we need? _

**Author's Note:**

> OOF. This one's posted before midnight (my time) - yay! And also is a little bit heavier than usual!
> 
> This is another canon-ish snippet from a major WIP fic of mine that I'll probably never actually finish. SH is a side pairing in it, with focus actually being on a few RPCs of mine. And the epilogue (having been planned before Boruto's creation) focuses instead on major conflict surrounding the Uchiha, and a faction called "New Root"...which, as we can see, is causing the tiny clan some major issues.
> 
> 'Issues' being a rather light word for it.
> 
> Anywho, Itachi just might be on to something with his Root theory...which is actually a much bigger problem than their first assumptions of simple villagers being upset with his return (as well as Sasuke's) given their past behavior. Which leads to a lot of drama and tension down the road!
> 
> But, this is just a snippet for the challenge, ahaha - so that's where we'll have to leave it for now. But, either way, I hope you enjoyed reading, and thanks as always for stopping by!


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